Maggie Ruggiero

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero has taken lentils "from canned to Cannes" in this très simple—and très français—dish.

Leeks prepared with a dab of butter are a perfect complement to delicate white fish.

Because curry powder is a blend of many spices, it's a tremendous way to get both depth and complexity in one fell swoop. Adding cayenne compounds the intensity. Take a taste of this fragrant, pleasantly spicy dish, and you'll agree.

The natural nuttiness of Brussels sprouts is greatly enhanced by the addition of pine nuts, and sautéing the sprouts deepens that flavor. Tossing them with al dente fettuccine will make you wonder how anyone could dislike them.

Though the presentation of this cake— all white-glazed and topped with undulating ribbons of toasted coconut—will take everyone's breath away, we promise that it will only get better from there. (And the cake's rich, coconutty, rum-nipped flavor will never hint that it was a one-bowl effort.)

This gorgeously scented, lush dessert radiates the tropics: As the guanabana—otherwise known as soursop—sherbet melts on the tongue, it releases notes of exotic fruits and flowers that are beautifully complemented by the other fresh fruits served with it.

Buttery chunks of avocado, little hits of radish heat, and a simple, lemony vinaigrette make this salad a crisp and refreshing balm.

Meaty yet melt-in-the-mouth and with slightly caramelized edges, butternut-reminiscent calabaza comes alive with a squeeze of lime.

Common in Latin American cooking, this orange oil infuses dishes with instant depth and quite often with their signature golden color. We've made three times the amount you'll need for the yellow rice with pigeon peas because annatto oil is also called for in our recipes for arroz con pollo and Ecuadoran potato cakes with peanut sauce .

Barely a day goes by at the Puerto Rican table without rice and beans making an appearance, but this version is pull-out-the-stops-special rather than everyday—you won't believe how much flavor can be packed into such an understated dish. The secret is an abundantly seasoned sofrito—the flavor base—and the slight crust, called pegao, that forms on the bottom of the pot.

We love it whenever an inexpensive cut of meat is coaxed into a glorious showstopper, and this pork masterpiece is perhaps the best example we can think of. Even the sight of it is delightful, as it glazes over with a sheen in shades of rose and amber. The garlicky adobo—that's the marinade, not the commercial powder—is pushed into slits in the meat to penetrate to the deepest layers; the outer layer, rubbed on the roast, forms a sticky crust of irresistible caramelization; and the skin becomes a rich, crunchy chicharrón, the last pieces of which everyone will surely fight over.

In Spanish, escabeche refers to placing already cooked seafood into a marinade—a pickling of sorts—but this subtle shrimp salad is gentler than anything you might expect from the term pickled. Complemented by silky thin-sliced onions, the shrimp get their tender-firm texture from slow-poaching followed by marinating.

Though pineapple and rum are the foundation for this aperitif, mint and lime juice temper the sweetness for a bright, clean sip.

Tortas

In this favorite, the deep, rich flavor of refried beans gets topped with roast chicken or pork and fresh flavors like pickled jalapeños, citrusy cilantro, cool avocado, and comforting crema.

These irresistible nuggets, a specialty of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, are here made with boneless chicken instead of the usual chicken-on-the-bone.